Solar panels in South West
Roofs across South West get about 1,060 hours of usable sunlight a year, and electricity costs 26.1p/kWh. That combination puts a typical system's payback at 11.2 years. Here's the detail, from real rooftop data across 15 South West cities.
Check your own roof in South West → These are regional figures; your roof's size, pitch and shading move them a lot.
How South West compares
South West gets more sunlight than 12% of the cities we measure, and its electricity costs more than 77% of states and provinces. Both matter, but not equally: the electricity rate usually matters more, because solar saves money by replacing power you would otherwise buy. A sunny state with cheap power often pays back slower than a cloudy state with expensive power. Why that happens →
Solar by city in South West
| City | Sun hrs/yr | Panels | Net cost | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Penzance | 1,186 | 7 | £4,760 | 10.3 yrs |
| Truro | 1,144 | 7 | £4,760 | 10.6 yrs |
| Poole | 1,120 | 7 | £4,760 | 10.7 yrs |
| Salisbury | 1,109 | 7 | £4,760 | 10.8 yrs |
| Plymouth | 1,090 | 7 | £4,760 | 10.9 yrs |
| Torquay | 1,087 | 7 | £4,760 | 11 yrs |
| Exeter | 1,060 | 7 | £4,760 | 11.2 yrs |
| Barnstaple | 1,060 | 7 | £4,760 | 11.2 yrs |
| Weston-super-Mare | 1,057 | 7 | £4,760 | 11.2 yrs |
| Bath | 1,054 | 7 | £4,760 | 11.2 yrs |
| Yeovil | 1,045 | 8 | £5,440 | 11.7 yrs |
| Swindon | 1,027 | 8 | £5,440 | 11.9 yrs |
| Taunton | 1,023 | 8 | £5,440 | 11.9 yrs |
| Bristol | 1,015 | 8 | £5,440 | 12 yrs |
| Gloucester | 1,013 | 8 | £5,440 | 12 yrs |
What a system costs in South West
| System | Size | kWh/yr | Net cost | Saves/yr | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 panels | 3.2 kW | 2,883 | £9,120 | £753 | 12.1 yrs |
| 12 panels | 4.8 kW | 4,325 | £13,680 | £1,129 | 12.1 yrs |
| 16 panels | 6.4 kW | 5,766 | £18,240 | £1,506 | 12.1 yrs |
| 20 panels | 8 kW | 7,208 | £22,800 | £1,882 | 12.1 yrs |
| 26 panels | 10.4 kW | 9,370 | £29,640 | £2,447 | 12.1 yrs |
Payback stops improving as systems grow, then gets worse. You can only save on electricity you were going to buy, so once a system covers your usage the extra panels mostly export at a lower rate.
South West solar incentives
The 30% US federal tax credit does not apply in Canada, and the figures on this page exclude it. Canadian support comes through federal programmes such as the Canada Greener Homes Loan plus provincial and utility schemes, which vary and change — check current South West programmes directly rather than trusting a figure on a website.
South West solar questions
Is solar worth it in South West?
At 26.1p/kWh and 1,060 usable sun hours, a typical South West system pays back in about 11.2 years and returns roughly £5,895 across a 25-year panel life. That is slower than average, so compare at least three quotes before committing. Individual cities in South West vary widely around this average.
How many solar panels do I need in South West?
About 7 panels for a home using 2,500 kWh a year. Each 400W panel produces roughly 360 kWh annually at South West sunlight levels. Your own figure depends on actual usage — pull a year of bills rather than assuming average consumption, since heating and EV charging change it a lot.
How much do solar panels cost in South West?
A 2.8 kW system runs about £4,760 before incentives, or roughly £1.70 per watt installed. Quotes vary widely by installer, roof complexity and whether your electrical panel needs upgrading — get three before deciding.
Worth reading before you buy
Regional estimates generated 2026-08-22 from Google Solar API rooftop samples across 15 South West cities, and average South West electricity rates. Not a quote and not financial or tax advice.